Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Global Navigation Satellite Systems

Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 7 December 2018 (HL11885), whether the UK Space Agency has yet developed options for a UK Navigation Satellite System; if so, (1) what those options are, and (2) whether their costs are within the £92 million set aside for the Engineering and Design studies.

Lord Callanan: The Space-Based Positioning Navigation and Timing Programme (SBPP) is on track and is continuing to explore innovative ways of delivering space-based Position Navigation and Timing (PNT) services to the UK. The programme will advise on options to Government for a space-based solution to improve our PNT resilience, as part of a mix of technologies, in November this year. SBPP follows on from the work of the UK Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Programme, which concluded in September 2020. The cost of this programme was contained within the £92m allocated. In conjunction with industry, the GNSS programme developed detailed designs for a Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) PNT satellite system. SBPP is now looking at a broader set of innovative concepts for securing global space-based PNT services, to meet the resilience needs of our Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and wider economic and domestic users.

UK Trade with EU

Baroness Quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they hold on the number of UK companies who have set up (1) companies, and (2) distribution hubs, in the EU since 1 January; and the number of jobs that have been created in the EU as a result.

Lord Callanan: Companies House does not hold any information on how many companies have set up (1) companies and (2) distribution hubs, in the EU since 1 January, and the number of jobs that have been created in the EU as a result.

Loans: Repayments

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to allow small businesses flexible government loan repayment plans.

Lord Callanan: We have always been clear that businesses are responsible for repaying any finance they take out. However, we recognise that some borrowers will benefit from additional flexibility with regards to their repayments. That is why we announced the Pay As You Grow measures last year. Pay As You Grow is designed to provide Bounce Back Loan borrowers more time and flexibility over their repayments by giving them the option to: Extend the length of the loan from six years to ten.Make interest-only payments for six months, with the option to use this up to three times throughout the loan.Take up a six-month repayment holiday. This option is available once during the term of their loan. Businesses are able to use these options either individually or in combination with each other. These are only available once a business has started making repayments on the loan. In addition, they have the option to fully repay their loan early and will face no early repayment charges for doing so.While the Government covers the interest due on Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facilities for the first twelve months, repayments of capital are required during this period unless the lender chooses to grant additional forbearance measures. CBILS lenders are able to extend the repayment period for CBILS facilities where this is needed, to a maximum of 10 years. CBILS term extensions are offered at the discretion of lenders, and for forbearance purposes only. The British Business Bank has a range of guidance and resources available to all businesses, including content on managing cashflow and a list of independent advice services. Details can be found online at the British Business Bank website.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Contracts

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the administrative error that caused a week’s worth of meetings with companies seeking COVID-19 contracts to be excluded from Lord Bethell’s transparency returns; why this administrative error occurred; when the failure to include these meetings was discovered; and who informed the Department of Health and Social Care that the meetings had not been included.

Lord Bethell: These meetings were included in the relevant transparency return. However, the omission was caused by a formatting error during the merger of individual returns into a master document. This has now been corrected with the full list of meetings now available.

Patients: Older People

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether patients over 75, or their relatives, should be able to communicate directly with their named doctor if they wish to.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a named doctor for a patient over 75 should see that patient, if requested by the patient or their close relatives, if they are very unwell.

Lord Bethell: Every patient, including those over 75 years old, can request to see a specific general practitioner (GP), including their named accountable GP. Under the terms of the 2015/16 National Health Service General Medical Services Contract practices must endeavour to comply with all reasonable requests made by patients to see a particular practitioner and authorised family members have the same rights.

Radiology: Recruitment

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of additional radiographers and radiologists required to deliver the increased number of diagnostic imaging scanners referred to in the National Health Service Long Term Plan.

Lord Bethell: Following the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England commissioned Sir Professor Mike Richards to review diagnostic services, which was completed in October 2020. The review recommended that there should be an expansion in the imaging workforce with an additional 2,000 radiologists and 4,000 radiographers over the next five years. NHS England and NHS Improvement are planning how to implement the report’s recommendations. In 2020/2021, Health Education England’s Cancer Workforce Plan committed to training 300 reporting radiographers and the NHS People Plan committed to training a further 150. Further workforce requirements will be considered as part of the upcoming Spending Review.

NHS: Contracts

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that public interest in the NHS is protected when private companies receiving NHS contracts already hold seats onIntegratedCareSystemBoards, giving them influence on NHS decision-making.

Lord Bethell: Integrated care boards (ICBs) will be National Health Service bodies, bringing in representatives from a range of other bodies including NHS commissioners and providers. The Board will, as a minimum, include a Chair, Chief Executive and representatives from NHS trusts, general practice and local authorities.Local areas will have the flexibility to determine any further representation on their board. This would be subject to local agreement and approval by NHS England. We do not expect independent providers to have seats on the ICB.

Flour: Folic Acid

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bethell on 13 July (HL Deb, col 1701), what plans they have to consult scientists on folic fortification, following their consultations with the devolved administrations.

Lord Bethell: There are no current plans to further consult scientists on flour fortification. We are finalising agreement of a four-nation response to the United Kingdom-wide consultation on the proposed mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid which ran from 13 June to 9 September 2019. The next steps will be laid out in the Government’s response.

Flour: Folic Acid

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bethell on 13 July (HL Deb, col 1702), what are the stated "implications of the Northern Ireland Protocol" in respect of folic fortification, given that nutrition is a matter for EU member states.

Lord Bethell: Under the terms of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, European Union legislation will apply in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland. Regulation 1925/2006 on the Addition of Vitamins and Minerals to Foods is included the Northern Ireland Protocol. Consideration is therefore necessary in discussion with the devolved administrations to ensure the consultation response and any proposed fortification policy takes into account the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Office for Health Promotion

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Office for Health Promotion will be their lead organisation for the promotion of physical activity.

Lord Bethell: The Office for Health Promotion (OHP) will work with teams across the Department, the health system and wider partners to support action on physical activity. We will present more detail on our plans and ambitions for the OHP in due course.

Office for Health Promotion

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect to appoint external advisors to the Office for Health Promotion.

Lord Bethell: We expect that the Office for Health Promotion (OHP) will draw on external expertise and advice from a range of sources. We will present more detail on our plans, ambitions and governance arrangements for the OHP in due course.

NHS: Negligence

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theywill provide the information set out in figure 16 on page 55 of the NHS Resolution annual report and accounts 2020/21 in respect of clinical negligence cases only for the year 2020/21.

Lord Bethell: The information requested is shown in the following table.Settlement typeTotal number of clinical negligence claimsNumber of claims settled with damagesNumber of claims settled with No damagesPercentage of all claims settled, with damagesPercentage of all claims settled, no damagesNo proceedings8,9414,5684,37337.94%36.32%Proceedings3,0662,47858820.58%4.88%Trial3410240.08%0.2%

Coronavirus

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the percentage of COVID-19 infections transmitted via (1) the air, and (2) surfaces.

Lord Bethell: No specific assessment has been made.

DNACPR Decisions

Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bethell on 13 July 2021 (HL1668), what progress they have made on the misapplication of Do Not AttemptCardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) orders; and what is their timetable for publishing more details on the Ministerial Oversight Group's (1) membership, (2) workings, and (3) decisions.

Lord Bethell: The first meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Group has now taken place and the Group has set out their commitment to driving forward improvements. A summary of the meeting has been shared with interested stakeholders. The membership, workings and decisions of the Ministerial Oversight Group were published on 23 July.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bethellon 20 October 2020 (HL9219) and 25 June (HL1299), why they have not yet published the outcome of their consultation on gamete and embryo storage limits.

Lord Bethell: We intend to publish the Government’s response after the summer recess.

Department for Education

Apprentices: Degrees

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to engage with professional and statutory regulatory bodies to determine how degree apprenticeship proposals are implemented.

Baroness Berridge: This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. I have asked its Chief Executive, Jennifer Coupland, to write to the noble Lord and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses when it is available.

Further Education: Ethnic Groups

Lord Woolley of Woodford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toreference race equality in the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill.

Baroness Berridge: In line with the government’s legal duties and its commitment to equalities, care has been taken to ensure that our proposed legislation is informed by assessments of their impacts for those from protected characteristics. The Impact Assessment of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill was published on 18 May 2021 and includes an assessment of the impacts of its measures on those who share protected characteristics, including in reference to race. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-and-post-16-education-bill-impact-assessment-and-jchr-memorandum.

Further Education: Ethnic Groups

Lord Woolley of Woodford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the (1) guidance, and (2) duty beingplaced on colleges, to review local skills provision, to include an explicit reference to ethnicity.

Lord Woolley of Woodford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the (1) guidance, and (2) duty being placed on colleges, to review local skills provision includes guidance on advancing race equality in further education.

Baroness Berridge: Draft statutory guidance makes clear that in carrying their reviews, the governing bodies of colleges will need to ensure that they comply with their existing statutory obligations, including those related to equality law, under the Equality Act 2010.

Ministry of Justice

Judiciary: Public Appointments

Lord Garnier: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Ministry of Justice's review of theConstitutional Reform Act is considering giving ministers greater influence over senior judicial appointments.

Lord Garnier: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether thefindings of the Ministry of Justice’s review of the Constitutional Reform Act will be published for public consultation; and if so, when.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Government is considering what improvements can be made to the settlement left by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Our constitution is always evolving, and it is entirely proper, sixteen years on from the Act, to examine that settlement in the round and to take stock of subsequent debate and of continuing interest in both Houses. The Lord Chancellor has said that he places great importance on taking an open and consultative approach to any proposals for reform, and the Government will make its plans known in due course.

Prisoners

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they estimate to be the total number of unreleased Imprisonment for Public Protection prisoners broken down by (1) gender, and (2) ethnicity; and how many years are left on their tariff in each case.

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they estimate to be the total number of recalled Imprisonment for Public Protection prisoners broken down by (1) gender, and (2) ethnicity; and how many years are left on their tariff in each case.

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total number of unreleased Imprisonment for Public Protection prisoners in (1) Category A, (2) Category B, (3) Category C, and (4) Category D; and how many years are left on their tariff in each case.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Government is committed to the protection of the public and the effective management of offenders. By law, prisoners serving indeterminate sentences who have completed their tariff will be released only when the independent Parole Board concludes that the risk they present to the public is capable of being safely managed in the community under probation supervision. The following two tables show the number of unreleased prisoners serving an IPP sentence at 31 March 2021, by gender, ethnicity and the number of years to their tariff expiry, in England and Wales. The total number of IPP prisoners recorded in these two tables is 1,784. Table 1GenderNumber (Row Total)Less than 1 year1 year to less than 2 years2 year to less than 3 years3 year to less than 4 years4 year to less than 5 years5 or more yearsTariff expiredTariff unavailableMale1,7612422135671,6822Female23000000230 Table 2EthnicityNumber (Row Total)Less than 1 year1 year to less than 2 years2 year to less than 3 years3 year to less than 4 years4 year to less than 5 years5 or more yearsTariff expiredTariff unavailableAsian or Asian British92302211830Black or Black British2297531142080Mixed70030000670Other ethnic group800000080White1,380141482421,3342Unrecorded100000010Not stated400000040 The following two tables show the number of recalled prisoners serving an IPP sentence at 31 March 2021, by gender and ethnicity, in England and Wales. All recalled IPP prisoners are post tariff as it is not possible to release an IPP prisoner prior to the expiry of their minimum tariff date. The total number of IPP prisoners recorded in these two tables is 1,350. Table 3GenderNumberMale1,327Female23 Table 4EthnicityNumberAsian or Asian British42Black or Black British161Mixed74Other ethnic group/Not Stated4White1,069 The table below shows the number of unreleased prisoners serving an IPP sentence at 31 March 2021, by security category and the number of years to their tariff expiry, in England and Wales. The total number of IPP prisoners recorded in the below table is 1,784. Table 5Security CategoryNumber (Row Total)Less than 1 year1 year to less than 2 years2 year to less than 3 years3 year to less than 4 years4 year to less than 5 years5 or more yearsTariff expiredTariff unavailableA17110010140B3232131253090C87171394418312D54814710005260Females (open and closed)23000000230Others200000020 A prisoner’s individual needs in relation to offending behaviour and resettlement, or their individual circumstances (such as medical requirements) may result in an individual being held in a prison of a higher category than their own approved category. Prisoners will not be allocated to a prison of a lower security category than the security category assigned to them personally. Notes for all figures:These figures have been drawn from the Public Protection Unit Database and Prison-NOMIS held by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. As with any large scale recording systems, the figures are subject to possible errors with data migration and processing.Tariff refers to the length of time between date of sentence and tariff expiry date.

Court of Protection: Child Trust Fund

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications have been received by the Court of Protection where the only asset is a Child Trust Fund.

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyapplications that have been received bythe Court of Protection in respect of Child Trust Funds have resulted in a Deputy being appointed.

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyassociated Fee Waivers the Court of Protection has received in respect of Child Trust Fund applications; and how many have been granted.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Court of Protection has received fifteen applications since August 2020 where the assets included a Child Trust Fund. Of the fifteen applications received, thirteen have resulted in a deputy being appointed. The remaining two applications resulted in ‘one off’ orders. In four cases, a Child Trust Fund was the sole asset and the court fees were waived.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Human Rights: Sanctions

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have takenunder theGlobal Human Rights sanctions regime since 6 July 2020.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Global Human Rights sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. Since it was established on 6 July 2020, we have designated 72 individuals and 6 entities under this sanctions regime. The full UK Sanctions List is available on GOV.UK website (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list), which provides details of those individuals and entities designated under sanctions regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act. We will continue to consider targets globally, guided by the objectives of the Global Human Rights sanctions regime and the evidence.

Mali: Females

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their activities in Mali on the rights of women and girls; and what discussions they have had with organisations supporting women and girls rights in Mali about this subject.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to supporting women and girls in Mali. We are providing funding for women-led peacebuilding in Northern Mali, working with women delegates to Mali's Peace Agreement Monitoring Committee. In the most recent renewal of MINUSMA's mandate, we secured strong benchmarks on the meaningful participation of women in the peace process and wider political processes. We are also providing programmatic support to allow crisis-affected children (at least 50% girls) in Mali to continue their education, and have invested to support women's sexual and reproductive health. The UK Embassy in Mali is in regular contact with civil society groups that support women's and girls' rights, including in the lead up to a joint UK-France co-hosted event at the UN in May this year. This event provided a platform for women delegates of Mali's Peace Agreement Monitoring Committee and local women's rights organisation, to share their experiences and understanding of the challenges and opportunities of increasing women's meaningful participation in stabilisation, mediation and conflict resolution processes.

Nigeria: Religious Freedom

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide, published on 15 June 2020, (1) whether they have made any representations to the government of Nigeria requesting a full investigation of cases of military complicity in violence and human rights abuses; and (2) whether they provide training in religious literacy and freedom of religion or belief to UK officials working in Nigeria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to call on the Nigerian Government to investigate allegations of human rights violations and hold those responsible to account, most recently during the Minister for Africa's visit to Nigeria in April. FCDO staff come from a range of backgrounds and religious identities, and all are encouraged to develop further understanding of religion and its role within society, supported by training from the FCDO's International Academy.

Belarus: Human Rights

Lord Wharton of Yarm: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the arrest of activists and staff from the human rights organisation Viasna on 14 July in Minsk, Belarus; and what representations they plan to make to the government of Belarus about the release of those detained.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the Foreign Secretary made clear in his public statement on 14 July, this latest assault against human rights organisations and independent media by Lukashenko's regime is a further attempt to crush freedom and stifle debate in Belarus. The Government has called for those detained to be released immediately, along with the hundreds of other people detained on political grounds. The Government has raised our concerns directly to the Belarusian authorities, most recently in the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna on 15 July. The UK stands with the people of Belarus and we will continue to work with our partners to hold those responsible for these human rights abuses to account.

Egypt: Children

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Egypt about children being given preliminary death sentences in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The United Kingdom strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and in all circumstances, as a matter of principle. This is especially the case for juveniles. This is in line with the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights. We continue to raise human rights concerns, including the death penalty, with the Egyptian authorities, both privately and in forums such as the UN Human Rights Council. Following recent cases the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa made clear to the Egyptian Government, at a senior level, our serious concern about the use of the death penalty.

Myanmar: Natural Gas and Oil

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international partners about sanctions against the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to the coup, including through targeted sanctions on the military's economic interests. On 29 April, the UK laid new sanctions regulations, Myanmar (Sanctions) Regulations 2021, to allow us to better target the military and its interests. Since the start of the coup we have sanctioned nine individuals and six entities for their involvement in serious human rights violations and support to the junta.We cannot speculate on future designations, however, we are working with partners to identify a range of further targets. The UK is committed to targeted sanctions which directly impact the military without harming the wider population. This will be a key consideration in any future designations.

Cameroon: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of (1) the food security situation in North-West and South-West Cameroon, and (2) the impact of the security situation in Cameroon on regional stability; and what discussions they have had with (a) the Commonwealth Secretary-General, (b) the Secretary General of La Francophonie, and (c) the Chairperson of the African Union, about bringing an end to the conflicts in Cameroon.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the situation in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon, which has left 1.15 million people suffering from food insecurity. We regularly discuss the crisis within multilateral fora and with international partners, and welcome efforts from the African Union, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie to support a peaceful resolution.

Cameroon: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access in North-West and South-West Cameroon.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: During the Minister for Africa's visit to Cameroon in March, he met project partners to witness the impact of UK aid and called for unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need. The UK's representative reiterated these calls at the UN Security Council briefing on the UN Regional Office for Central Africa in June, and the British High Commission in Yaoundé continues to advocate for access alongside the diplomatic community and the UN.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of an encroachment by the armed forces of Azerbaijan into the village of Yeraskh in Armenia on 19 July.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government is aware of the ongoing tensions along the Armenia and Azerbaijan border. We continue to urge both sides to refrain from rhetoric or actions which may exacerbate the situation and to engage in urgent discussions to ensure a peaceful resolution to the current tensions.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent statements by the President of Azerbaijan that parts of Armenia’s sovereign territory, including the capital Yerevan, belong to Azerbaijan.

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent statement by the President of Azerbaijan that “There is no Nagorno-Karabakh, there is Karabakh”, and of whether this violates the rights to self-determination contained in the November Ceasefire Agreement and the OSCE Minsk Group Protocols.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the recent statements by the President of Azerbaijan. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood spoke to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Bayramov on 14 June where she reinforced continued UK support for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to secure a peaceful, fully negotiated and sustainable settlement to the conflict in line with the Minsk Group Principles. Our Embassies in Baku and Yerevan have also reinforced this ongoing support to those Principles with the relevant authorities and have encouraged both parties to engage with the Co-Chairs' renewed efforts.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what fundingthe UK has provided to COVAX; and what proportion of this is expected to be spent on (1) Sinovac, and (2) Sinopharm vaccines.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Since the beginning of the pandemic, the UK has championed the importance of rapid, equitable access to safe and effective vaccines. We are among the largest donors to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), committing £548 million. Through match-funding, this leveraged $1 billion from other donors in 2020. This support to COVAX has been critical to its distribution of over 136 million COVID-19 vaccines to over 136 countries and economies, with its aim to provide up to 1.8 billion doses to low and middle-income countries by early 2022. The UK has also committed to sharing 100 million vaccine doses by June 2022, 80 per cent of which will go to COVAX to provide further support for countries in need.The UK's financial commitment to COVAX contributes to the whole COVAX portfolio, which currently consists of 11 COVID-19 vaccines. Exact numbers of different vaccines supplied to countries will depend on timing of availability, country demand and preferences, overall portfolio mix, and ongoing assessment and guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on vaccine effectiveness as the evidence base for different vaccines continues to evolve. All vaccines disbursed by COVAX must pass robust WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) or full pre-qualification assessment.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the (1) World Health Organisation, (2) Gavi, and (3) COVAX, regarding the (a) Sinovac, and (b) Sinopharm, vaccines and their efficacy.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As a critical partner in the global vaccination effort, the UK regularly makes representations on this agenda with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Gavi, which operates as the secretariat of COVAX.Since the beginning of the pandemic, the UK has championed the importance of rapid, equitable access to safe and effective vaccines. This requires a truly global effort, and no one country or pharmaceutical company will be able to do this alone.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations of the report of the Independent Panel on Pandemic Preparedness and Response COVID-19: Make it the Last Pandemic, published on 5 May; and in particular, what plans they have to support a political declaration on pandemic planning at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: It is vital to learn lessons from a global health emergency, particularly one as complex and far-reaching as COVID-19, so that we can be better prepared for future pandemics. We need to take this moment to deliver concrete improvements that allow the international system to respond better in the future. The findings and bold recommendations of the Independent Panel on Pandemic Preparedness and Response, as well as the other reviews into this pandemic, will play an important role in this process. We are carefully considering these recommendations as we approach key discussions, including at the G20, the United Nations General Assembly, and the World Health Assembly Special Session later this year.

Department for Work and Pensions

Statutory Sick Pay: OECD Countries

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the rate of statutory sick pay in the UK of £95.85 per week is lower than the averageof othercountries in theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; andwhen they plan they address this issue.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides a minimum level of income for employees when they are sick or incapable of work. It is paid by employers at £96.35 per week for up to 28 weeks in any one period of entitlement. Employers are legally required to pay SSP to eligible employees who are off work sick or incapable of work, where employees meet the qualifying conditions. Some employers may also decide to pay more, and for longer, through Occupational Sick Pay. The costs of SSP are met in full by employers. It is therefore important to strike a balance between ensuring employees receive financial support when they are sick or incapable of work with the costs to employers of providing such support. SSP is just one part of our welfare safety net and our wider government offer to support people in times of need. Where an individual’s income is reduced while off work sick and they require further financial support, they may be able to claim Universal Credit and new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on their personal circumstances. The government has previously consulted on reform to SSP, and as we learn to live with a new virus there is space to take a broader look at the role of SSP. The government maintains that SSP provides an important link between the employee and employer but that now is not the right time to introduce changes to the sick pay system.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 8 June (HL Deb, col 1312), what assessment they have made of the report by Z2K #PeopleBeforeProcess, published on 25 May; and what steps they plan to take as a result.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Government acknowledges the report by Z2K published in May 2021 and will consider its findings as part of our consultation on the Health & Disability Green Paper, published on 20 July. The Green Paper explores how the benefits system can better meet people’s needs now and in the future by improving people’s experience of our services, enabling independent living and improving employment outcomes. The Government is committed to improving the lives of disabled people and yesterday published the National Disability Strategy. The strategy takes into account the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on disabled people and focuses on the issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects of life.

Pensioners: Pre-payment

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Penn on 19 July (HL Deb col 4), how many retired pensioners have been issued with pre-payment cards.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department of Work and Pensions does not offer pre-paid cards. The main method of paying customers is into a standard bank, building society or credit union account. However, there are exceptions in limited circumstances. The Department currently provides two Payment Exception Services which allow customers access to their payments. These are Her Majesty’s Government Payment Exception Service (HMG PES) and the Post Office Card account. The Payment Exception Service is aimed at those customers who are unbanked and are either unable to open or use a bank account. It is designed for access to cash only. The contract expires 30 September 2021, but a similar procured new Payment Exception Service will replace HMG PES. The Post Office Card Account is a basic deposit service for benefits and pensions, delivered by Post Office Limited on behalf of the Department. This service is due to end and customers will either convert to a standard bank, building society or credit union account. Those customers who are unable to open or use an account will be migrated to the new Payment Exception Service on a staged basis from August 2021.

State Retirement Pensions

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the level of the basic state pension paid in the UK; and what assessment they have made of how this compares with the levels of state pensions in EU member states.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The full rate of the basic State Pension for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 is £137.60 per week. These individuals may also have some earnings-related additional State Pension, occupational or private pension income (enabled by the UK National Insurance system). For people reaching State Pension age from 6 April 2016 onwards, the full rate of the new State Pension is £179.60 per week: the amount an individual receives depends on their individual National Insurance record. Meaningful comparisons between pension schemes in different countries are very difficult to make as there are many factors to take into account. This includes differences in; tax systems, healthcare systems, pension ages, cost of living, access to occupational pensions and the availability of other social security benefits, as well as the provision of services and goods free to pensioners or at concessionary rates.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Environment Protection

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to The Independent on 14 July that they hoped to use the Environment Bill “to seek powers to ensure information about environmental impacts, such as carbon emissions, is provided with certain products”, whether they can (1) provide details of the means by which they plan to do this, and (2) list the products to which they expect to apply the powers.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In accordance with our Resources and Waste Strategy, the powers being sought through our Environment Bill will allow the Government to ensure consumers are provided with clear, consistent and trustworthy information, enabling them to make more sustainable purchasing decisions and helping shift the market towards more resource efficient products. These information-sharing requirements may focus on durability, reparability and recyclability, and there is scope to include other criteria where appropriate, such as embodied carbon or water usage during production. They could take a number of different forms such as consumer information rating schemes, or labels specifying that a product meets a certain environmental standard. We are working on developing a plan for making use of these powers, and will take on board responses to our recent consultation on the Waste Prevention Programme for England – towards a resource efficient economy. In parallel, as outlined in the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is preparing to launch a Call for Evidence on low carbon industrial products. The response to the Call for Evidence will be used to develop proposals for new policies to grow the market for these products, including a new labelling system for intermediary industrial products reflecting their impact on the environment.

Water Companies: Standards

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by David Black, acting Chair of Ofwat, on 13 July that there should be a "step-change in culture and commitment" by water companies "to fundamentally change the way they deliver for customers and the environment".

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The recent Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) report, to which David Black’s comments relate, spans the last 12 months and makes for extremely disappointing reading. Even the industry-leading water companies have more work to do, especially on the use of storm overflows. Water companies have environmental responsibilities and they must realise them. They have a legal duty to avoid pollution to our rivers and other waterways. The Government, the Environment Agency and Ofwat announced on 22 July the consultation of the review of the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), an ambitious programme of work that water companies are required to complete to meet their obligations from environmental legislation and UK Government policy. Water company actions driven by this programme have the potential to greatly enhance the natural environment, ultimately helping to protect the health of rivers and waterways in England and support sustainable growth. For 2020 to 2025 water companies are investing £7.1 billion to protect and improve the environment. This includes the £5.2 billion invested through WINEP. The strategic policy statement (SPS) for Ofwat published for consultation on July 22 outlines the Government’s key priorities for Ofwat’s regulation of the water sector in England. This includes water companies’ day-to-day environmental performance, with a focus on meeting the Government’s ambitions to significantly reduce the frequency and volume of sewage discharges from storm overflows. As well as challenging water companies to plan strategically their drainage and wastewater services in order to improve resilience and reduce pollution incidents, the Government expects Ofwat to challenge companies to continue to drive down leakage and improve water efficiency for the benefit of current and future customers. The Environment Bill will also address this step change, with three new measures to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows: The first statutory requirement will place a duty on Government to publish a plan by September 2022 to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows and to reduce their impact. This plan will be informed by work of the Storm Overflows Taskforce and will be subject to consultation and informed by an impact assessment. The Government will consider a wide range of options, including measures proposed in the Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP’s Private Member’s Bill. The plan will complement existing Asset Management Plans and new statutory Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans produced by water companies. There will be an additional statutory requirement for Government to report to Parliament on progress on implementing the plan every five years, which will align progress with existing Asset Management Plan cycles for maximum effectiveness. The third requirement will be a duty on water companies and the Environment Agency to publish data on storm overflow operation on an annual basis so that it is available and accessible to the public. The Environment Bill will also require a legally binding, long-term water quality target. We are currently considering water targets on reducing pollution from wastewater, as well as agriculture and abandoned metal mines. Setting targets will provide a strong mechanism to deliver long-term environmental outcomes.

Home Office

Immigration: EEA Nationals

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 July (HL1628 and HL1629), how someone would check whether they had (1) "UK immigration status", and (2) indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK.

Lord Greenhalgh: A person who is issued with a UK Immigration status or Indefinite leave to Enter or Remain are provided with a visa in their passport, a biometric residence permit or an electronic visa confirming their status. Our decision notices also provide customers with details on their terms of leave.A person who has applied to the EU Settlement Scheme or via the fully digital processes for the British Nationals (Overseas) and Points Based System routes, will have created a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. They can use their UKVI account credentials to log into the online View and Prove service.If an individual has been notified they have a digital certificate of application, they are able to use the View and Prove service to prove their rights:https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-statusThe Home Office also publishes information to assist EU national customers understand their immigration status. Further information can be found on our website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/view-and-prove-your-immigration-status-evisa/your-immigration-status-an-introduction-for-eu-eea-and-swiss-citizens-accessible-versionFor longer-term settled residents who wish to replace their visa for a biometric residence permit, they can submit an application for a biometric residence permit. Further information can be found on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/replace-visa-brp

Immigration: EU Nationals

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 14 July (HL1628), whether someone (1) born in the EU, (2) with an EU Member State passport, (3) who is married to a UK citizen, and (4) has (a) resided, and (b) been employed, in the UK for over 20 years, including paying taxes or drawing pension payments, would automatically have "UK immigration status" by dint of those characteristics; or whether they might still need to apply for it under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 July (HL1629), whether someone (1) born in an (a) European Economic Area, or (b) European Free Trade Area, state other than the UK, (2) who carries a non-UK passport, (3) who is married to a UK citizen, and (4) has (a) resided, and (b) been employed, in the UK for over 20 years including paying taxes or drawing pension payments, would automatically have "UK immigration status" by dint of those characteristics; or whether they might still need to apply for it under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 July (HL1628 and HL1629), what are the additional rights available to EU, EEA and EFTA nationals under the Citizens’ Rights Agreements that they will not possess if they do not apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Lord Greenhalgh: An EU, European Economic Area (EEA) or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) national who was settled in the UK before 1 January 1973 may have acquired indefinite leave to enter or remain automatically under section 1(2) of the Immigration Act 1971.Where they hold indefinite leave to enter or remain obtained in this way, or where an EU, EEA or EFTA national holds such leave obtained by applying for it under another immigration route, they do not need to apply for status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), but they may do so if they wish given the benefits of doing so.Indefinite leave to enter or remain granted under the EUSS (referred to as ‘settled status’) enables the holder to access additional rights in line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements. For example, they can be absent from the UK for five consecutive years, rather than two years, before their settled status lapses, and they can sponsor certain family members to join them in the UK without meeting the requirements of the family Immigration Rules.Where an EEA national was resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 based on free movement rights, they must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for status under UK immigration law. The deadline for doing so was 30 June 2021, but late applications will be accepted where reasonable grounds exist for missing the deadline. This includes where someone has lived in the UK for many years and did not realise they needed to apply.

Immigration: Public Consultation

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to their consultation on the New Plan for Immigration, published on 24 March; and what assessment they have made of their compliance with paragraph J of their Consultation Principles, published on 17 July 2012, in respect of their response to this consultation.

Lord Greenhalgh: This has been published already.

Exploitation: Children

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to amend the Nationality and Borders Bill (1) to protect children who have been trafficked twice or more, (2) to support children who may have committed offences while suffering exploitation, and (3) to protect exploited foreign children by providing leave to remain of sufficient length to guard against further harm.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Within the Nationality and Borders Bill, we are proposing modern slavery measures to deliver a decision-making process and support system that is fair and provides support for those who genuinely need it.We recognise that some victims of modern slavery may have had periods of high vulnerability and can have multiple, complex needs, with some individuals experiencing multiple forms of exploitation at different points in time. The proposed measures within the Bill therefore rightly allow for protection and support for individuals subject to repeated exploitation, including child victims whilst seeking to ensure that further support is only provided where needed.We remain committed to tackling exploitation in all its forms. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 gives law enforcement agencies the tools to tackle modern slavery, including a maximum life sentence for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims. Where children are found to be potential victims of human trafficking or modern slavery their safety and welfare are addressed as a priority. Local authorities are responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children in their area, including child victims of modern slavery. In addition to this statutory support, the Government has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs), an additional source of advice and support for all potentially trafficked children, in two thirds of all local authorities in England and Wales.We will seek to put into legislation for the first time the commitment that all confirmed victims, including children, without immigration status will be considered for a grant of temporary leave to remain in line with specific criteria.This will bring clarity to decision makers and victims on the process for temporary leave to remain. We will continue to comply with our duties under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship, and Immigration Act 2009 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Shipping

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Agnew of Oulton on 13 July (HL1749), how many vessels by (1) size, and (2) type, are operated by UK Border Force.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Border Force Maritime Command’s fleet includes five cutters and six coastal patrol vessels as well as niche capability in the form of tactical watercraft (TWC) and dedicated mobile RHIB capability. Each cutter carries a jet driven RHIB capable of delivering a boarding team. The type of asset deployed will reflect the operational task and may be deployed as a standalone asset or as a combination, to allow for a broad range of tactical options, that can respond to a specific threat or event.Border Force Vessels undertake strategic patrols, tactical surveillance and enforcement activity in support of Border Force and other government agencies providing a law enforcement capability at sea.As a minimum a Cutter and two CPV’s will be permanently deployed to the south east to the 30-mile stretch of coast covering the Dover Straits with additional vessels deployed as operationally required.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Baroness Rawlings: To ask Her Majesty's Government in whatcircumstances people may be (1) prosecuted, and (2) fined, for breaking COVID-19 regulations.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Decisions on prosecution is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service, based on evidence provided to them by law enforcement agencies, including the Police.On the question of fines, data on the Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued under the COVID-19 regulations by police forces in England and Wales is published by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) on a monthly basis and can be found on the NPCC website.The latest publication from 28th June 2021 can be found here and displays a list of the reasons for FPNs being processed:https://cdn.prgloo.com/media/fefef3f0ea8241018b9bda2d33fa95be.pdf Fixed Penalty Notices - Covid 19 (pdf, 1293.8KB)

Immigration: EEA Nationals

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 July (HL1628 and HL1629), how they are informing EU, EEA and EFTA nationals who acquired a right of permanent residence in the UK under EU law that (1) they need to apply for status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and (2) the benefits of applying.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 July (HL1628 and HL1629), what steps they are taking to inform EU, EEA and EFTA nationals living in the UK about the benefits of the additional rights available to them under the Citizens’ Rights Agreements.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Since the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) opened in March 2019, the Home Office has undertaken a broad range of communications and stakeholder engagement activity to encourage EU, European Economic Area (EEA) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nationals, and their family members, to apply for status under the EUSS and to explain why they should do so and secure their rights under the Citizens’ Rights Agreements.We launched a further wave of UK-wide advertising in mid-May to help ensure they were aware of the EUSS and its benefits and of how to apply and access support in doing so if they needed it, although existing ILR holders need not apply. This built on the successful campaign already delivered – with £7.9 million having now been invested in such activity – with targeted adverts appearing on social media, website banners, catch up TV and radio up to the application deadline of 30 June.The Home Office has also made available £22 million in grant funding for a network of now 72 organisations across the UK, which includes charities, local authorities and community groups, to engage with vulnerable groups and help them apply to the EUSS.We are also continuing to engage with local authorities, the Devolved Administrations, employers, community groups and others to raise awareness of the EUSS and encourage those eligible who are yet to apply to do so.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide funding to agencies and local authorities to support EU citizens facing problems accessing their rights and entitlements in the UK, including issues with the EU Settlement Scheme, given that the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements does not deal with individual cases.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office remains committed to ensuring those who are eligible can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), including those who are vulnerable, need extra support or are harder to reach.   £22 million of funding, through to 30 September 2021, has been awarded to a network of 72 charities and local authorities across the UK, to ensure important information and assistance gets through to those who are hardest to reach, and no one is left behind. This support has continued beyond the 30 June 2021 deadline to ensure continuing support for vulnerable citizens applying late Guidance on how to apply and details of the support available to applicants is available through the EU Settlement Resolution Centre (SRC), which is open seven days a week to provide assistance over the telephone and by email, and the SRC also provides a direct line for organisations, charities, social workers, and local authorities working with vulnerable groups.We are working closely with the Grant-funded Network (GFN) and other key stakeholders, collating feedback, to help establish the needs and scale of support beyond September 2021.

Marriage: Churches

Baroness Rawlings: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether clergy are no longer permitted to register marriages conducted in their churches; if so, why not; and what consultations they undertook with the Church of England prior to the introduction of the electronic register for marriages.

Lord Greenhalgh: As a result of changes implemented under The Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc.) Act 2019 all marriages in England and Wales are registered in an electronic register by a registrar for the district in which the marriage took place rather than in hard copy registers.The Church of England were fully involved in the development of this policy, including direct engagement with Home Office Ministers. The Church of England has been supportive of the move to an electronic system of registration, including the move to include Mothers on Marriage Certificates as part of this.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Homelessness

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto introduce a system of (1) means-tested grants, or (2) interest-free loans, to repay arrears in order to prevent an increase in homelessness.

Lord Greenhalgh: The UK Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support which is available to tenants.We have extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit until the end of September helping renters to continue paying their rent. Local housing allowance rates have been maintained at their increased level in cash terms in 2021/22, meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector continue to benefit from the significant increase in the local housing allowance rates applied in April 2020. For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. For 2021-22 the Government has made £140 million available in DHP funding, building on the £180 million provided last year.Renters will continue to benefit from longer notice periods, giving them more time to make alternative arrangements. As of 1 June, until at least 30 September, notice periods will be at least 4 months except in the most egregious cases.We are also providing local authorities with £310 million through the Homelessness Prevention Grant. This funding represents a £47 million increase on the previous year’s funding and can be used to offer financial support for people to find a new home, to work with landlords to prevent evictions, and to ensure families have a roof over their head.We do not wish to encourage more debt and have prioritised non-repayable support. We believe the best way to support people in need is through the existing welfare system, and this is what our extensive package of economic support is doing.We continue to monitor the effectiveness of other examples of support, such as those from the devolved administrations in the UK, and note that uptake for loan support has been relatively low in Scotland and Wales.

Mayors: Urban Areas

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what mayoral deals in urban areas are currently being discussed.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government remains committed to levelling up through further devolution deals. We are continuing discussions with the North East and Hull and East Yorkshire to create new Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA), and all areas in England are invited to apply to form an MCA if there is local support.

Northern Ireland Office

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their agreement New Decade, New Approach, published on 8 January 2020, what funding related to the armed forces has been provided under that agreement; over what period each funding stream will be delivered; and what terms and conditions apply to each funding stream.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: This Government is committed to an ambitious programme of Armed Forces modernisation. Under the New Decade, New Approach agreement, the Government is supporting our Armed Forces and veterans in Northern Ireland through a range of measures, including UK-wide legislation to further incorporate the Armed Forces Covenant into law and the appointment of the Veterans Commissioner to act as an independent point of contact for veterans in Northern Ireland. Up to £200,000 has already been provided for veterans’ support services from the New Decade, New Approach funding. Further details on funding allocations for veterans’ services will be set out in due course.

Treasury

Health: Disadvantaged

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what economic changes and interdepartmental strategies they propose to address the health and financial inequalities which have resulted in certain groups being disproportionately affected by the impact of COVID-19.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Throughout the pandemic, the Government has sought to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods while also supporting businesses and public services across the UK. We recognise that some groups have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and the pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing socio-economic inequalities. The Government has put in place an economic package of support totalling £352 billion through the furlough and self-employed income support schemes, support for businesses through grants and loans, and business rates and VAT relief. To support people on low incomes, the Government has provided one-off £500 Test and Trace Support Payments (TTSP) to help them self-isolate when they are required to do so; to date, the government has provided more than £176 million of funding to local authorities to meet the costs of TTSP. The Government has also extended the temporary £20 per week uplift to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance to the end of September, with similar support for eligible Working Tax Credit (WTC) claimants. The suspension of the Minimum Income Floor for self-employed Universal Credit claimants has been extended until the end of July. The increase to Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit in cash terms in 2021-22 has also been maintained, an increase which was worth an extra £600 on average in 2020-21 for over 1.5 million households. Women have benefited from a variety of schemes as part of this package. For example, where it was possible to link the data, 1.72 million roles held by women were furloughed at 30 April 2021 compared with 1.67 million roles held by men. As of June 6 2021, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has received over 2.6 million claims from self-employed women across the four rounds of grant. The majority of Universal Credits claimants are women: 53 per cent in April 2021. As part of the Government’s broader support for individuals, in April workers on the National Living Wage (NLW) saw a 2.2 per cent pay increase to £8.91 an hour – worth over £345 a year for a full-timeworker. The Government also extended the NLW to those aged 23 or over.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council: Fujitsu

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the chair of their Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council has any current financial interests or holdings with Fujitsu.

Baroness Barran: The chair of the Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council has declared any relevant financial interests in line with the usual appointment process. There are no current financial interests to declare.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Civil Servants

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants are employed full time in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on sport and recreation policy.

Baroness Barran: Please the staff figures below for DCMS teams that work on sport and recreation policy. Data based on staff in post on the 26/07/2021. TeamHeadcountCommonwealth Games42Major Sporting Events8Sport Policy25Grand Total75